Scientists have unveiled the reconstructed faces of two sisters who lived more than 6,000 years ago and worked in a harsh mining community in what is now the Czech Republic.
The sisters’ remains were first uncovered over 15 years ago in a prehistoric chert mine in South Moravia, where they endured grueling labor extracting stone for tools and weapons.
The reconstructions, made from plaster and silicone, are based on newly analyzed skeletal evidence. Genetic data provided details about eye and hair color, while skull measurements shaped the models’ heads.
The study explains that the younger sister likely had hazel or green eyes and dark hair, while the older sister probably had blue eyes and blonde hair. Clothing details came from textile fragments of the same era, revealing garments made from plant fibers such as flax and nettle.
The study, published June 18 in Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, offers a rare glimpse into the lives of Neolithic women who endured extreme conditions.
They were likely buried in the mine “because they had worked there,” said Martin Oliva, an archaeologist at the Moravian Museum and co-author of the research.
Burials reveal unusual clues
Archaeologists found the sisters buried one atop the other inside a mining shaft. The younger sister’s skeleton was discovered about 20 feet (6 meters) below ground, while the older sister lay three feet (1 meter) beneath her. Radiocarbon dating placed their deaths between 4050 and 4340 B.C.
Their graves contained unusual items that puzzled researchers. A newborn’s remains were found on the chest of the older sister, though genetic tests showed no relation to either woman.
Fragments of a dog’s skeleton were also present, with its skull near the upper body and its remaining bones beside the lower one. Oliva said the reason for these burials remains unclear, noting that even with new evidence, “we really cannot know” why they were placed together.
Evidence of hard labor and early suffering
Detailed analyses of the bones and teeth revealed a difficult life marked by malnutrition in childhood and intense physical strain in adulthood.
Both women stood about 4.8 feet (1.5 meters) tall, were slender, and showed signs of carrying heavy loads. The older sister’s forearm bore a partially healed fracture, suggesting she continued working while injured.
Isotope studies revealed a protein-rich diet with more meat than was common in Europe at the time. Researchers believe this diet either supported their demanding labor or reflected the wild game abundant in the forested South Moravian region.
The findings also point to a broader social shift. The study notes that during this period, the hardest work may have fallen not on the strongest individuals but on those most easily forced into it — a stark glimpse into inequality in early farming societies.
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